HP ZBook Studio x360 G5 (i7, P1000, FHD) Workstation Review

Special combination.
HP has added another new model to its ZBook Studio series, which are expensive premium-workstations. The special thing about this new ZBook Studio is that it is a convertible. Can the combination of a workstation and a convertible work out in reality? Learn more by reading this comprehensive review!

A mobile workstation that can also be a tablet? One might think that it is a strange combination. Mobile workstations are typically some of the most traditional laptop designs on the PC market, while convertibles are exemplary for the transformation of the segment. But there is some overlap between the two categories, which makes a workstation convertible an interesting proposition for some users. Especially people working in creative industries can profit from the combination of high-performance components, premium screens and a digitizer pen for drawing. The HP ZBook Studio x360 G5 seems to be made exactly for that niche of the market.

Admittedly, the idea is not entirely new: Lenovo released the ThinkPad P40 Yoga in 2016. However, this model can be counted as a "failed experiment", as it never received a successor. This failure likely happened because of the weak CPU performance, since the Lenovo ThinkPad P40 Yoga was based on low-voltage Ultrabook CPUs. HP has chosen a different route with its ZBook Studio x360 G5, which is an uncompromising workstation performance-wise: Alongside the hexa-core CPU Intel Core i7-8750H, our review unit features the Nvidia Quadro P1000. This configuration also includes a FHD display, a 512 GB SSD and 16 GB RAM, it costs roughly €2,600 in Germany – a similar configuration would cost roughly $3,260 in the USA. This puts the HP ZBook Studio x360 G5 firmly into the premium category. That is not surprising, as the ZBook Studio series has always competed in the high-end part of the laptop market, the ZBook Studio x360 is just another option. Users who do not need the convertible features can still pick the normal HP ZBook Studio G5.

Without a doubt, the most important HP ZBook Studio x360 G5 competitor is the Dell Precision 5530 2-in-1, another new workstation convertible that came out this year. Ironically, Lenovo, once the pioneer of the concept of a workstation convertible with the ThinkPad P40 Yoga, does not have any direct competitor for the ZBook Studio x360 at the moment. The Lenovo ThinkPad P1 is a thin & light premium workstation, but without a convertible counterpart. Nonetheless, it is still the best competitor from Lenovo, since the 4K UHD version of the ThinkPad P1 also supports a digitizer pen, even without the 360-degree display. Additionally, we also use the normal Dell Precision 5530 for the purpose of comparison, since it is remarkably different from its convertible twin in some aspects.

Chassis

HP ZBook Studio x360 G5

At the first glance of the HP ZBook Studio x360, it is possible to experience a small déjà-vu. Its design is remarkably similar to the HP EliteBook 1050 G1, which is the multimedia counterpart of the ZBook Studio G5 and thus also of the ZBook Studio x360 G5. On the outside, there are not many differences between the EliteBook and the ZBook. One characteristic design-attribute of the ZBook is its slightly darker chassis color: While the EliteBook 1050 G1 gleams in a bright silver color, the ZBook Studio x360 G5 is adorned in a dark grayish silver for a slightly more understated look. Apart from the color, the other design elements are exactly the same, which includes the cut-off corners in the back as well as the speaker-grills with a triangular pattern.

The base unit is completely made out of aluminium and it is constructed in a 'unibody' design. Overall, it is extremely sturdy and the workmanship is flawless, just like the EliteBook 1050 G1 chassis. A noticeable difference compared with this machine is the utilization of a glass-panel in front of the LCD screen, which further increases stability.

If there is any flaw, then it is the hinge design. HP uses two 360-degree hinges with a metal cap. The problem is that they are not tuned very well: Lifting the screen from the base when it is closed can be a hassle; there is just too much resistance. Once this resistance has been overcome, the screen becomes a little too easy to move. The screen has some play. Sometimes, the result of this play can be an unwanted adjustment of the screen position. Clearly, HP should have tuned the hinges differently or chosen a completely different hinge-construction to avoid this problem.

Picking up the ZBook Studio x360, the comparably high weight is immediately noticeable. With a weight of 2.4 kg (~5.3 lb), the ZBook Studio x360 is clearly the heaviest laptop in our comparison. The Dell Precision 5530 is 400 g (~0.9 lb) lighter, the ThinkPad P1 and the MacBook Pro 15 are 600 g (~1.3 lb) lighter. Granted, those machines are not convertibles – but the Dell Precision 5530 2-in-1 also just weighs 2 kg (~4.4 lb). The ZBook Studio x360 G5 is just a hefty brick in comparison. It is almost as heavy as some of the traditional 15.6-inch workstations.

The ZBook Studio x360 is not only the heaviest, but also the biggest unit in our comparison. There is a huge difference, especially when compared with the Dell Precision 5530 and the Dell Precision 5530 2-in-1. In terms of thickness, the MacBook Pro 15 2018 and the Dell Precision 5530 2-in-1 are better. When taken together, the bigger footprint and higher weight of the ZBook Studio x360 make it less comfortable to handle, especially when it is used in tablet mode.

Connectivity

The port selection is identical with the HP EliteBook 1050 G1. There are two USB A ports, both of which are placed on the left side. Most other ports are on the right.

While the Lenovo ThinkPad P1 is slightly better in regards to the ports, as it offers an additional mini Ethernet port, the thicker chassis of the ZBook Studio x360 G5 pays off when compared with the MacBook Pro 15 and the Dell Precision 5530 2-in-1 since neither offer HDMI, a full-size SD card reader or two USB A ports.

SD card reader

HP has incorporated a full-size SD card reader, which supports SD-, SDHC and SDXC cards. The slot cannot take in SD cards completely. SD cards stick out a little, which means that the slot cannot be used for permanent storage expansion. Things are different when it comes to quick data transfer, an important use case for professional photographers. The SD card slot is ideal for such users, as it is a very fast model. The competitors with an SD card slot (Lenovo ThinkPad P1 and Dell Precision 5530) have SD card slots that deliver similar performance. The Dell Precision 5530 2-in-1 also has a very fast card reader, but it can only accept micro SD cards.

Communication

Ex-factory, our model of the ZBook Studio x360 G5 contains only one communications module. The sole means of communication is the Intel 9560AC Wi-Fi card, the most recent 2x2 WLAN module by Intel that is used in laptops with Coffee Lake processors. In everyday use, the Wi-Fi card performed without issues, which was also the case in the benchmarks.

Not included is Ethernet. If a wired network connection is needed, a Thunderbolt or USB C adapter is necessary – of course, such a connection is not native. Also not incorporated is WWAN, though in this case, the user can remedy that: The WWAN antennas are laid internally and the SIM slot is also included. Thus, a WWAN card can be put in after the fact.

Security

Touch-based fingerprint sensor

The HP ZBook Studio x360 includes a variety of security features. Some of them are software-, some hardware-based. In terms of hardware, our review unit offers TPM as well as a fingerprint reader. The sensor is a touch-based model (opposed to a swipe-based fingerprint sensor). The fingerprint reader is precise and fast. Not present is a smartcard reader. Smartcard slots are often used in enterprise environments. Of the comparable competitors, only the Lenovo ThinkPad P1 offers a smartcard slot.

Accessories

Aside the 150 W charger and a recovery DVD, the ZBook Studio x360 G5 also includes a digitizer pen, which supports pressure sensitivity. We take a closer look at the pen in our chapter on the input devices down below.

Maintenance

In principle, maintaining the HP laptop ZBook Studio x360 G5 is pretty easy. One small complication is the screws, because HP uses Torx-T8 screws rather than the more common Phillips head type. As soon as all screws are loosened, several clips that hold the cover in place have to be unlocked. Extremely useful for such an operation is a plastic spudger. The first clips have to be disengaged around the hinges by using the spudger as leverage. When the cover is removed, all components aside of the keyboard and screen are accessible: The fans can be cleaned, the battery exchanged and the thermal paste renewed if necessary. In addition, the HP workstation ZBook offers plenty of upgrade-options with two DDR4 SODIMM RAM sockets and two M.2 SSD slots.

View of the internals

Warranty

The factory warranty of the ZBook Studio x360 G5 amounts to three years. This time period matches the usual warranty-periods in this price range. Not included with our unit however is on-site service. By default, the service only includes "pick up and return", which means that a defective unit will be repaired in a manufacturer workshop, though the manufacturer will organize a pick-up. Please see our Guarantees, Return policies and Warranties FAQ for country-specific information.

Input devices

Keyboard

HP integrated a keyboard with flat chiclet keys, which are arranged in a six-row layout. The keyboard is backlit with two settings (brighter/on). It automatically turns off after a few seconds ex-factory. This setting can be changed in the UEFI-BIOS, which enables the backlight to remain active – in this case, the keyboard even automatically turns on after a reboot if it was active before.

While using the keyboard, we had some problems. These problems mostly were related to the unusual keyboard for the German reviewer, because our unit was equipped with a French AZERTY layout. This should not be a problem in practice though, as normally, the device will ship with the appropriate layout for each country (QWERTY in the USA or QWERTZ in Germany). Apart from the layout-woes, the ZBook keyboard satisfied us with enough travel and a pleasant typing-feel overall – definitely a keyboard that is usable for people who have to type a lot. Two more things of note: The whole keyboard is shifted slightly to the left, because HP has put the navigation keys to the right of the return-key. Also, there are some special keys for telephony functions. Certainly, those keys can be useful for some business users, but we would have preferred dedicated volume buttons for example.

Keyboard-area HP ZBook Studio x360

Touchpad

The touchpad is the same model that is used in the HP EliteBook 1050 G1. It measures 11.5 x 7.6 cm (~4.5 x 3.0 in) of glass-surface. We do not have any problems with the hardware used here, as it is of high quality. Problematic is the software implementation, despite the touchpad being a "Microsoft Precision Touchpad". Namely, clicks are sometimes ignored, especially right-clicks. HP should fix this with a driver update.

Different from many other HP ZBooks, the ZBook Studio line does not offer a Pointstick. From our point of view that is a sad omission, especially when the touchpad does not work quite perfectly all the time. A pointing stick could have been a nice alternative. Of the direct competitors, only the Lenovo ThinkPad P1 offers a TrackPoint.

Touchscreen & pen

As a convertible, the HP ZBook Studio x360 naturally sports a touchscreen, which supports ten fingers at the same time and works flawlessly. Additionally, the ZBook x360 also supports a digitizer pen that is bundled with the laptop and matches the darker ZBook chassis color. The pen supports 4096 levels of pressure sensitivity and includes three buttons (two on the side, one on the end). In our short test of the pen, it worked without problems. Because the pen is one of the active kind, it requires an energy supply. That is why it contains a small battery, which can be charged via USB C.

Digitizer pen

Test of the digitizer pen

Display

Subpixel array HP ZBook Studio x360 G5

Almost no backlight bleeding

The HP ZBook x360 offers a wide and maybe complex variety of 15.6-inch screen options. At the upper end of the spectrum, HP sells the ZBook with a 4K UHD (3,840 x 2,160) with 600 cd/m² of brightness and 100% AdobeRGB, which is branded as "DreamColor". But this is not the only 4K UHD offered: There also is a 4K UHD panel with 400 cd/m² and 100% sRGB – likely the same panel that is used in the HP EliteBook 1050 G1. Apart from these high-res panels, there also are two LCDs with a FHD resolution (1,920 x 1,080). One of these supports HP's SureView privacy technology and should reach 650 cd/m², the other FHD screen should achieve 400 cd/m² – this last screen is the cheapest option that is also used in our review unit. All panels are based on IPS technology and their surface is glossy due to the glass panel in front of the actual screen.

Despite HPs claim of 400 cd/m², the display did not reach this goal, not even with the maximum brightness. The average brightness value sits at 361 cd/m², which is pretty far away from HP's goal. Of course, 361 cd/m² are not bad at all, but it is still noticeable that the panel does not fulfill HP's promise. In the comparison with the direct competitors, the ZBook occupies the last place in terms of the display brightness, though this does not say much, as all competitors sport high-res and premium 4K UHD screens.

We did not measure PWM and the brightness uniformity of 85% is good enough. We could not measure any backlight bleeding.

Even without a calibration, the panel is fairly accurate ex-factory. With a calibration, even the small deviations can be eliminated, but the difference is not very pronounced. Subjectively, the quality of the screen satisfies us, thanks to the high brightness and good contrast of 1121:1. The black value meanwhile is maybe in need of improvement, as it is a bit higher (0.34 cd/m²) than many of the competitors with 4K UHD displays. There is one attribute though, where the FHD screen used in the ZBook Studio x360 beats all the other 4K screens: Its response times are much better.

As far as the color gamut is concerned, the utilized LG FHD panel delivers exactly the level of quality that we expect from the base-display-option of a workstation: The LCD covers the sRGB color gamut almost completely with 97.7%. Simple semi-professional photo editing is definitely possible with this screen.

sRGB: 97.7%

AdobeRGB: 62.5%

Outdoor (cloudy)

The screen brightness should be enough for outdoor usage – if the display surface was not glossy. When used in the shadow, the content of the display is definitely visible, but even then, the user has to cope with annoying reflections.

Display Response Times

ℹ

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.

↔ Response Time Black to White

28 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined

↗ 16.4 ms rise

↘ 11.6 ms fall

The screen shows relatively slow response rates in our tests and may be too slow for gamers.In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.8 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 60 % of all devices are better.This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (25 ms).

↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey

41.6 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined

↗ 22 ms rise

↘ 19.6 ms fall

The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.9 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 54 % of all devices are better.This means that the measured response time is similar to the average of all tested devices (39.8 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

ℹ

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.

Screen flickering / PWM not detected

In comparison: 51 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 9367 (minimum: 43 - maximum: 142900) Hz was measured.

The viewing angle stability is very good. Thanks to the IPS technology, the colors do not change when the panel is viewed from the sides or above/below and the LCD did not even show the IPS glow effect, which some lesser IPS panels sometimes feature.

Viewing angles HP ZBook Studio x360 G5

Performance

As usual with HP ZBooks, the ZBook Studio x360 G5 can be ordered with many different components. There are seven different CPUs listed in HP's data sheet, which includes the following processors: Core i5-8300H, Core i5-8400H, Core i7-8750H. Core i7-8850H, Core i9-8950HK, Xeon E-2176M and Xeon E-2186M. There also is a choice when it comes to the GPU, though at the moment, only models with the Intel UHD Graphics 630 and the Nvidia Quadro P1000 are available. The Nvidia Quadro P2000 is listed in the data sheet, but not available for order. Apart from that, the ZBook can be configured when it comes to the display, memory and storage. Display-wise, three of the four display options are available: The 4K UHD DreamColor panel, the lower-end 4K UHD panel with 400 cd/m² and the FHD screen with 400 cd/m². When it comes to the memory, there are 8, 16 or 32 GB of DDR4-2666 memory (maximum 64 GB with two RAM slots). The storage capacity ex-factory either amounts to 256 GB, 512 GB or 1 TB, though there are two M.2 slots present in the HP PC ZBook – upgrading is thus easy.

CPU-Z

CPU-Z Caches

CPU-Z Mainboard

CPU-Z Memory

HWiNFO

LatencyMon

Processor

The Core i7-8750H is a newer mobile high-performance CPU from Intel. It is a high-performance processor, because it has six cores and a TDP of 45 W, making it a subtle CPU for multimedia laptops, gaming notebooks and mobile workstations. The six CPU cores have a clock-rate of 4.1 GHz (turbo boost), the base-clock-rate sits at 2.2 GHz. Comparisons with other CPUs are possible with our CPU comparison table.

In the case of the ZBook Studio x360 G5, the processor can consume 60 W, though this power consumption is only possible for a very short period. Usually, the nominal TDP of 45 W defines the upper power limit. This explains the behavior of the ZBook in our Cinebench R15 multi-core loop-test: In the first iteration, the HP workstation scored 1110 points. Afterwards, the clock-rates go down a little and the results stabilize at 1030 points. This is true for a short while, but then the performance fluctuates. Repeatedly, the CPU performance takes a nosedive. At its lowest point, it just reaches 938 points. The reason for this is most likely HP's temperature management. The ZBook Studio x360 G5 is not the only device that exhibits this phenomenon, the HP EliteBook 1050 G1 performs very similarly with its identical cooling-system.

This puts HP at a disadvantage, because the competitors in form of the Lenovo ThinkPad P1 and the Dell Precision 5530 are able to deliver a higher sustained performance on average. In short bursts, the difference is non-existent though. Also of interest is the comparison with the only convertible workstation competitor, the Dell Precision 5530 2-in-1. Compared with this model, the ZBook Studio x360 G5 has a much faster CPU, because Dell relies on the quad-core processor Intel Core i7-8706G. With this CPU, Dell Precision convertible just cannot compete in terms of CPU performance.

The CPU of the performance ZBook Studio x360 G5 was reduced when it was running on battery power. Instead of more than 1100 points, the HP convertible achieved just less than 1000 points without a connected charger.

System Performance

As far as the system performance is concerned, the HP ZBook Studio x360 G5 occupies the pole position in the PCMark 8 benchmarks. That is no surprise, as this benchmark profits greatly from the lower resolution panel that only the ZBook uses. In the newer PCMark 10 meanwhile, the resolution is of lesser importance, resulting in varying scores. Overall, there is nothing to complain about when it comes to the system performance of the HP laptop ZBook x360 Studio G5.

Storage

Inside the HP computer ZBook Studio x360 G5, we find the PM981 by Samsung, in this case with a capacity of 512 GB. The PM981 is a current OEM M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD of the Korean manufacturer and one of the fasted SSDs used in newer laptops. The storage benchmarks are evidence of that.

GPU Performance

GPU-Z Nvidia Quadro P1000

The Nvidia Quadro P1000 is a mobile GPU for professional users. It is used in many of the latest mobile workstations as the base-option. Its position between the Quadro P2000 and the Quadro P600 qualifies it as a GPU of the lower middle-class. Comparisons with other GPUs are possible with our GPU benchmark table.

The performance of the GPU is in accordance with its position in the Quadro lineup, as the Quadro P1000 is much slower than the Quadro P2000. That is certainly not surprising – more interesting is the comparison with the AMD Radeon Pro WX Vega M GL in the Dell Precision 5530 2-in-1, the direct workstation convertible competitor. This GPU is also clearly faster than the Quadro P1000, no matter if it is in the 3DMark benchmarks or the professional SPECviewperf benchmark-suite. In the 3DMark Firestrike for example, the Radeon Pro WX is 53% faster. This means that the ZBook Studio x360 is clearly at a disadvantage. Presumably, a model of the ZBook Studio x360 G5 with the Quadro P2000 could alleviate this disadvantage, but at the moment, the ZBook convertible is only available with the Quadro P1000.

The GPU performance is not reduced when the device runs on battery power.

Despite this, the Nvidia Quadro P1000 still enables users to game; even recent games are playable with the HP ZBook Studio x360 G5. Admittedly, the graphical details and the resolution often have to be lowered to some extent. Many games that are 2 to 3 years old can be played in FHD (1,920 x 1,080) with high details.

The GPU performance stays consistent under load, which is visible in our Witcher 3 loop-test.